


Together

by GoldenQueenx



Series: Fics In Progress [5]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: family gathering, prompt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-02-08 17:51:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12869844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldenQueenx/pseuds/GoldenQueenx
Summary: Followup for Operation GoldenQueen. / Prompt via Guest: Everyone goes back to Storybrooke (Alice and Jones as well) and Mary Margaret decides that the whole family needs to get together for dinner





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note: I do not own anything OUAT.
> 
> Prompt: Request by Guest I just remembered a line from season two that David said, "It's a good thing we don't have Thanksgiving in our land because that dinner would suck," while re-reading this fic. If you can, could you make a sequel to this fic where everyone goes back to Storybrooke (Alice and Jones as well) and Mary Margaret decides that the whole family needs to get together for Thanksgiving dinner, that is unfortunately(depending on who you ask is) filled with awkward moments.
> 
> Also; Requests are always welcome! I am tickled pink being able to write and take requests for anything goldenqueen; it is never a bother. :)
> 
> As for the timeline, I tried my best to paint a picture with what years I think could have passed from specific scenes before the HH curse.

Mary Margaret sat a bowl of mashed potatoes down against the table top and quickly glanced around, hands planted firmly on her hips. They hadn't arrived yet and already she was getting fussed on the details and making sure everything would be perfectly. "Neal, Neal can you go fetch your sister?" David and her had a daughter only three years ago, adding to their ever growing family. Her name was Lenora and she was ever the picture of their perfect family. Neal had grown tall and kind, much like his father, now edging his nineteenth birthday. He returned with Avalyn, or Ava for short in tow carrying Lenora on her hip.

"Sorry, Mom said I could watch her for a few while you set the table." Ava had Hook's gorgeous blue eyes but Emma's complexion.

"That's alright, more than actually." Mary Margaret sighed more than relieved to find her daughter in the care of her granddaughter.

Neal went over to Charming, holding himself in such a way that caused her heart to ache with the memory from years ago in the Enchanted Forest; when she first met her husband. A smile crept along her lips as she began to fuss over the table cloth, only to have Emma walk over and put a hand on her back. "It's perfect, Mom."

"How's the second pregnancy going?"

"I'm getting huge." Emma placed a hand onto her swollen stomach before glancing over at Hook who was currently making faces at Lenora while Ava held her. "But she's excited to have a sibling."

"Did you tell her I'll need her to babysit this week?"

"Yeah, she said she'd love it. All she talks about is Lenora, this and Lenora that, It's really keeping us up to date on her growth."

Mary Margaret smiled and wrapped Emma up in an embrace. "Are you excited to see Henry again?"

"You know I am. It's been so long and he hasn't gotten to see Ava and we haven't seen Lucy. It's scary - yet exciting all at the same time."

"There's something he wouldn't tell me over the phone though. He sounded nervous."

"It's probably nothing, Mom. Don't worry about it until they get here."

Mary Margaret nodded and went over to where Charming stood, wrapping her arms around his waist she rested her cheek against his bicep and began to pretend to listen to the conversation between him and Neal; her mind instead avoiding her promise to halt her worrying as her mind began to work in a frenzy. At the second she thought she couldn't take anymore thought; Henry walked in with Jacinda by his side and Lucy in tow.

"Henry!" Emma called out, closing the space between them and wrapping her arms around her son the best she could. "Look at you, you haven't changed since I last saw you. It's incredible." Stepping back she took in the sight of her son, trying her best to make sure she couldn't locate anything a miss.

"You look great, Mom. Where's-"

"Your sister?" Ava asked, sidling up beside her mom to give her big brother a hug.

"Wow, you're-"

"Almost grown. Aye mate." Hook commented, giving a nod towards Jacinda then shooting a warm smile in Henry's direction.

"And with another coming?" Henry asked, eyes wide as he placed a hand on his mother's swollen stomach. "That's exciting!"

"We're going to have a big family, Henry. All of us." Emma placed a hand over her son's, then added "And now that you're here we can really start looking forward."

"About that, there's something you guys need to kn-"

Alice walked in then, giving the room a once over then nudging Jones with her shoulder. "This is going to be very weird." Her eyes fell on Emma and Hook, who were looking to be new parents sooner rather than later.

"I see you brought a date." Hook sighed, looking between Alice and Jones.

"Next comment like that and I'll throttle you."

"Huh?"

"This is my daughter. Alice."

"In Wonderland?" Emma asked, eyes wide.

"And other places." Alice and Henry both groaned in unison.

"Where's Regina and Rumple?" Charming asked, taking Lenora into his arms.

"Coming together." Alice quickly chirped out much to the dismay of Henry, who shot her a look that begged the question of why she woul even put it like that.

"Great, the food's going to get cold if they don't hurry up." Mary Margaret looked to be on the verge of bursting with anxiety for fear the meal would be chilled by the time everyone sat down to dig in. It had taken her a week to convince herself to ask everyone to Storybrooke for the occaision and another week just to plan the event.

Alice and Jones both took to wandering off in opposite directions, dipping their toes in the proverbial sand and striking up conversations with the towns residents. Around ten minutes in Emma walked over to the pirate and softly ran a hand along his back and up into his hair, though he stiffened at the action. Instantly she registered what she had done. "Why did you have to wear your pirate outfit here? Regina surely won't wear her mayor's." Jones gave her a sympathetic smile and shrugged.

"It's difficult to tell us apart, aye. I should have guessed." In truth Alice had talked him into it, seeing as he would be among magic once more and could easily take part in going back to his old self instead of the officer he had become during the curse. It had seemed like a nice idea; if his clothing didn't completely match his doppelgänger.

"Anyway, sorry. I'm off to find my husband." Emma shuffled past him and closer to the one who was currently talking to Alice, both cackling with laughter. "Just confused your other you for...you." She kissed him on the cheek as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him.

"As long as it doesn't happen in the bedroom, I'll allow him to keep his other hand." Hook wiggled his eyebrows in the direction of his wife, then turned his attention back to Alice. They were currently in a deep discussion regarding a caterpillar and a cat with a devilish grin.

"Sorry it took so long." Regina sighed, walking through the door, sliding her jacket off of her shoulders only to have it taken by Rumple, who took to draping it over his arm. "I cannot wait to get into something more my style. After dinner, I'm going straight to my house and literally jumping into something more fitting."

Rumple eyed her, trying his best to bite his tongue considering they hadn't told the entire population of Storybrooke about their situation before and after the curse back in Hyperion Heights.

"Everyone sit! Sit! It's time to eat." Mary Margaret felt as if she were vibrating with happiness now that everyone was here and they could all settle in and eat, all she wanted was to enjoy the company of those who they had all missed during their time away.

At that everyone began to make their way to the long table in the middle of the room, all taking their seats in a slow fashion. Lucy darted around the table away from her mother and father to sit next to Ava as she had her sights set on discussing magic and fairytales that she knew to be true. Henry and Jacinda took their seats next to Hook and Emma. Jones and Alice were on the opposite side of the savior and pirate, both talking up a storm at how small to town seemed compared to Hyperion Heights. Mary and David sat at one end, with Lenora in a high chair - the two of them adding food onto her plate. Neal took a seat next to Lucy and Ava, digging into the conversation that they were currently in arguing if Harry Potter were real what the actual Hogwarts would look like. Rumple and Regina took the other end, where they sat together regardless of the eyes currently watching as Rumple pulled out Regina's chair for her then took his own. Just then, though, Tiana walked in through the door — eyes beaming as she caught sight of Jacinda and found a seat next to her.

"Oh goodness, I am so sorry, I didn't know you had someone else coming or we would have waited to sit down."

"No worries, She just likes to be fashionably late." Jacinda nudged her friend, the two giggling.

"And I got lost, I took a wrong turn and somehow ended up near the forest instead." Tiana added, running a hand through her curls before adjusting the plate in front of her as Mary sat it down against the table, having went to fetch another setting.

Once everyone were seated, they all began to dig in and the conversations boomed, voices melding together to create a warm environment of noise. Regina and Rumple however, were in deep conversation about how best to go about their current predicament while Alice and Jones were teasing Emma and Hook about naming their second child Alice so dinners like these could be just as confusing as this time around.

Regina and Rumple both reached for the rolls at the same time, their fingers brushing against one another then lingering on one. Luckily the second Henry caught it, he awkwardly cleared his throat loud enough to wake the entire town. Regina and Rumple both recoiled, taking to adding to their plates as separately as they could.

Regina however, slipped her foot from her boot and began sliding it up beneath the fabric on the leg of Rumple's jeans, toes stroking along the warm skin there. He shot her a smirk, then leaned in close to her ear, whispering something no other soul at the table could hear. The words causing a smile to pull along the curve of her lips as her eyelids fluttered closed, lips pursed in thought.

"Uh, what am I witnessing?" The savior spoke up, having caught the little display going on at the end of their table.

Regina's eyes shot open as they both adjusted themselves in their seats. "Nothing." Came out in unison causing doubt to etch on the features of everyone's faces at the table, save for Alice's.

"You know, when I said that thing earlier, it's completely true."

Emma's jaw dropped the second she realized and then the domino effect began. Ending in Charming rising from his seat and putting his hands forward on the table and asking, though it sounded more like he was accusing instead "So- they..?"

"Mom and Rumple were together when cursed and continued it after the curse." Henry stated, swallowing down a spoonful of steamed vegetables with slight trouble.

"Really? Regina, why?" Emma scoffed, her face contorted into that of distaste.

"It just happened, now drop it and-"

"You all will just have to get used to it." Rumple stated as thrust a piece of turkey between his lips, features set on determination since they knew, they might as well show them they in no means were intending on stopping now.

Slowly conversation began to pick up again, every single soul at the table intent on getting it out of their minds so they could enjoy the family meal and in all truth, they realized they had no control over what the imp and former queen did in their personal time away from prying eyes.

"Finally, we can all just be one happy family with no secrets." Alice chimed in, tossing a roll in Henry's direction — which landed in his gravy with a splatter. Laughter bubbled from his chest, soon followed by a snarky remark about the tea party's she might have attended and how she had manners as such.

_The End._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zelena and Robyn!

"And so he was all 'You cannot go across the bridge if you wish to keep your head' and I made quick to respond with 'I've never had my head, what are you going on about?'. The troll basically laughed until he fell off of the bridge and I could safely cross with no further bother." Alice jabbed her fork forward towards Henry who was leaning in listening intently to the story she was telling. "I found my mushroom and went back home to no avail. I love visiting different realms, it's rather interesting."

"That's what I found when I went exploring." Henry quickly added in, shoving a spoon full of mashed potatoe into his mouth.

Emma beamed, watching as her son acted as though he never truly left even if Alice and Jones were strangers to her, she knew they weren't to him. Regina too was looking at Henry as if she could never have been more proud, him having went on his own adventures and found a purpose that seemed to have given him his smile back.

"Am I late?" A familiar voice cut through the static of the dinner, drawing all heads in the direction from which it came. Zelena stood all decked out in green, a smile a large as the Cheshire Cat plastered on her face as everyone looked from her to the grown young lady beside of her. Robyn was beautiful, blonde and blue eyed — she looked to have also grown up well considering the odds that had been stacked against her.

"Of course we're late, Mom. Can't you see that everyone is eating?" Robyn, snarky it seemed, thrust a hand in the direction of the table filled with their family. The curse had sent them to Hyperion Heights in the first place, then Victoria cast them out leaving them to their own devices and now — here they were — back in their hometown with family practically gawking.

"Come sit by me." Alice motioned for the youngster next to her to scoot down, which they all did. Mary Margaret was quick to adjust the plate settings. Adding two beside of Alice as well as pulling up two more chairs for the mother and daughter to take their seats. They did so, with Zelena sliding in next to the blonde regardless of the efforts of her to make sure Robyn had taken the seat instead. "How old are you?" Alice asked Robyn, leaning so she could see over the red head.

"Nineteen. You?"

"Same, actually." Alice gripped the basket of rolls and thrust it over Zelena's plate, offering it to who she had spoken to. Robyn took them with a smile on her face, obviously happy to be getting along with someone so quickly.

"What did I miss?" Zelena asked as she began adding food to her plate, doing the same with Robyn out of habit rather than necessity. "Surely not much? Oh Emma, you're with child again? What does this make? Five?"

"Two, Zelena." Emma huffed, trying to shift in her seat to get more comfortable to no avail. At this rate she imagined she would be giving birth on the floor in no time.

"And Ava is doing well?" The red head asked, tilting her head to get a look at the girl at the table, giving her a warm smile.

"I'm good! Thanks!"

"Dating yet?"

"No. Not yet, but there's this guy in my class that likes the same books as I do."

"Oh God, Emma. She's nothing like either of you." Regina had chimed in this time, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Is your Daddy teaching you how to sword fight yet?" Zelena asked, her hand flitting over the casserole, she loathed the stuff with a burning green passion.

"No, but Grandma is."

"She's great with a sword." Regina chimed, praising Snow in her blade wielding considering she had seen her fair share of it throughout the time they'd known each other.

"And Neal, you're going to college soon?"

"Not exactly. I'm working on some online courses so I can take up politics here in town."

"In what way?" Zelena was in the mood to converse, clearly, not having caught up with everyone in some time.

"I want to mayor, among other things."

"Regina better watch out." Snow chuckled, giving the mayor a wink.

"I'll gladly hand over the reigns to someone who knows what they are doing." Regina conceded, stabbing a very delicious green bean on her plate. "In fact, I can give you lessons. Help you learn the ropes a bit?"

"That would be great, thanks." Neal added before turning back to Lucy and starting up a conversation about a princess in a far away land that ruled it without the need of a king, soon to switch to how one could build their own government.

Once the meal was finished, everyone began to get up to walk around, each falling into conversation. Alice and Robyn were sitting on the floor with a jar of peanut butter between them, both seemingly in deep conversation. Jones watched on with a grin as Snow went on about safety precautions when sword fighting and what it means to teach the young. "I can give Alice a few lessons, if you want?"

"That is nice of you, love, but she knows how to weild a sword just fine. Could out whit me in a fight, actually."

Zelena was next to Emma and Hook, in conversation about home birthing and how she had read up on it. Emma quickly added that being in the hospital was her first priority with Ava but how she was considering a home birth the second time around since she felt she had confidence in what she were doing and that Snow was going to help her through it, having birthed her at home in the castle. But something caught the red head's eyes, Regina and Rumple were standing in the corner, his hand was stroking up the brunette's arm in a loving manner, mouth dangerously close to the mayor. And the second the imp closed the space, lips meeting, the glass in Zelena's hand shattered into pieces, all falling onto the floor. "What?"

"Right, you missed that. Apparently Regina and Rumple are...a...well..."

"Courting." Hook spoke the words Emma wasn't yet ready to, all with a poker face plastered on his features. "And they are meaning to keep it that way."

"Why? When? What does he see in her?"

"Regina is good for him, I think." Ava spoke up, having come up behind the small group without a sound. "Or so it seems. What I've read about in Henry's book, they fit well."

"No they don't!" Emma and Zelena both spat out, only the red head's sounded more villainous than that of the blonde's. The words causing Rumple and Regina to both shoot a glance in their direction, eyes falling on the green that had begun to collect along the skin revealed at the bosom of Zelena's dress.

"Oh boy." Regina sighed, leaning her head against the wall.

"Let her be green. It suits her." Rumple whispered, leaning in to claim her mouth once more in a passion filled kiss that could shame the devil.

The End.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back by demand! I have a third chapter for you guys! Thanks so much for the reviews!

Regina took in a deep breath and exhaled quickly, her eyes were on the little Lenora who was currently stumbling her way to her mother. Something deep within the mayor stirred, something maternal, and she wanted nothing more than to scoop the toddler up in her arms.

The dinner had simmered, all of the conversation having been taken back to Regina's manor, everyone gathered in the main room all enjoying drinks and some quality time in a comfortable environment. Zelena currently was standing near Robyn talking alongside her with Alice and Jones, each laughing every few moments at something the other said.

Mary Margaret bounced Lenora up in the air, then settled the girl on her hip before coming over to where Regina was sitting, sipping apple brandy like she had never left the small town in the first place. "So, you and...Gold?" The mayor nodded before draining her glass and pushing herself onto her feet to go get a refill. Mary Margaret shook her head and walked over to Charming, gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek then asked "Where's Neal?"

"Talking to Henry. He's getting advice that parents aren't cool enough to give, apparently." He chuckled, playfully nudging his wife then making a face that resembled a monkey at Lenora, which caused giggles to echo through the room from the chubby faced baby. "Who's my favorite girl?" He cooed in the direction of his daughter before taking her from his wife and hoisting her up in the air, making air plane noises that more resembled a choo choo train instead. "Huh? Who is my favorite girl?"

"Say 'Mommy is, Mommy is your favorite'." She spoke in a baby voice then leaned her head on Charming's shoulder, staring at the person who they loved just as much as their son. Both of which, they would move mountains for. "She looks so much like my mother. The dark hair, the expression when she thinks we're both losing our minds.."

"We do tend to seem like we're losing our minds more often than not." He admitted, giving their daughter a little wiggle in the air, watching her flail about, giggling happily at being suspended so high up and getting to see both of her parents gawking at her lovingly.

Halfway across the room, Emma was standing against the wall having not been able to sit comfortably every single time she had tried. Hook was running a hand along her belly, discussing this boy his daughter had mentioned. Wondering what exactly the boy liked, what books had she meant, and making sure to let Ava know that sometimes boys could pretend to like things just to catch the eye of a love. "I'm just saying, Ava, you have to be careful. You're beautiful, love, but just be careful with your heart."

"I will, Dad." Ava sighed, giving her mother a look that screamed she was growing tired of her father's incessant needs to protect her from any and everything. She was sword fighting, after all. She could bet that if anyone would be stupid enough to break her heart, that they wouldn't mind a sword fight or two just to mend the tiff. "Can we talk about something else?"

"How about if someone breaks your heart, how I'll make them walk the plank?" He began, with his hand up in the air when Emma grabbed her stomach and leaned forward — taking in gulps of air. Hook was sure he just noticed something wet on the fabric of her jeans. "Are you alright, Emma?" He asked, panic forming along his features.

"I-Oh!" She tried to brace herself agains the wall, her legs starting to tremble. "I think we're going to have our-" She hissed as a contraction assaulted her frame. "-newest family member sooner than we thought."

"Raise the sails!" Hook called out, their little warning phrase for when the time would come. This sent Mary Margaret into action alongside Ava who was now running up to ask where Regina kept the extra linen.

"She's not going to have it here is she?"

"Where?!"

"Up the stairs, the door on your left. Bring it to the guest room! She can't have the baby in my bed."

"She's having it down here! We can't move her!" Hook barked out, eyes as wide as saucers.

"Yes you can! I'm not giving birth in Regina's sitting room. I want a fucking bed and I want it now." Emma was grateful no one was ridiculous enough to chastise her on using such course language with children in the room, considering her water had just broke and there was no way in hell she would watch her language in this much pain.

The pace in which everyone began to run around, gathering things, then up the stairs was staggering. Emma however staggered up the stairs with Hook on one side and Mary Margaret on the other. Regina watched on numbly as everyone seemed to have prepared for this ahead of time, but since she was sure she would be of no help, she stayed downstairs and waited it out with the children. At first Lenora was fussy and missed her mother, but Charming quickly darted down the stairs and took her into his arms. "I'm not staying up there." He said with wide eyes, then added "I'm terrified for Emma but Snow has her, she's in good hands. And the last time I watched Snow give birth.. I bit off every nail I owned down to the quick. I can't handle it. Too nerve wracking."

Regina chuckled as she settled down against the sofa, Henry joining her seeing as Jacinda who had given birth to Lucy the natural way was upstairs aiding in it. "And Hook?"

"He's fine. He's up there acting like a pro, Kudos to him."

"It's actually really beautiful, when I watched Lucy come into the world I almost burst with excitement and of course happiness."

"But the pain." Zelena chimed in, sidling up next to Charming and giving Lenora a poke to the nose. "I gave birth in a hospital and still — there's nothing more painful."

"Weren't you murdered once?" Alice said as she walked up with Robyn at her side, both of the girls smiling from ear to ear.

"Nothing more painful than childbirth." She repeated. "Consider yourself lucky, Regina."

Even though she knew it couldn't have been meant as a blow, it still stung worse than anything she could imagine. The gathering of everyone all together in such a place with kids and babies and all much closer than she left them, she couldn't shake the want for something more, for a bumbling drooling baby of her own. "Oh, I do." The words were hard to push out but she did so anyway, knowing that acting hurt would get them nowhere.

"Goodness, she is screaming like she's being murdered." Jones groaned, hand coming up to massage his temple. "Can't we just magic it out of her?"

"No. We can't. If we did, it could possibly hurt her and the baby." Regina commented, knowing all too well about the price of magic and the fact that her body was already going through the motions would make it difficult to stop it even if they could just magic out the offspring.

* * *

The process had taken longer than any could have imagined, but the second Regina felt herself nodding off into dreamland, Hooks voice jolted her and everyone else in the room awake.

"I'm a Dad!"

"No shit." Alice quipped, noting Ava who was following alongside him down the stairs.

"It's a boy, it's a healthy baby boy with my hair and eyes and Emma's gorgeous complexion. It's crying and perfect and has ten fingers and toes. I've counted them twice!" He was holding the tiny infant in his arms, the hook that usually shown in the light was missing leaving only the black holster. "Look at the little guy, such a perfect thing. We've called him Samuel." Leaning, he showed the child to the room and it was met by awe and coos and little squealing noises of approval.

"How does it feel to be a father for the second time?" Jones asked, practically beaming where he stood.

"The best feeling ever. But I need to get back to her or she'll throttle me." Hook joked before bounding back up the stairs with baby in tow.

"Looks just like him." Rumple stated before taking a seat on the arm of the couch, leaning in to give Regina a chaste kiss on her head.

"I'm going home, Robyn.. are you ready?" Zelena asked, turning to see Robyn giving Alice a hug goodbye, both exchanging numbers quickly before her daughter joined her at her side. With that she bid everyone ado and headed out of the door, on their way to the farmhouse.

"Emma and Hook wil probably stay the night. I have enough rooms if anyone else wants to?"

"I think that would be great, Mom. I'm going to head up to bed, where's Lucy?"

Regina pointed to one of the chairs in the room where Lucy was currently splayed over, head lolling to the side deep in slumber and she hoped her dreams were filled with fairytales. She watched as Henry pushed himself onto his feet and went over to the sleeping child, gently lifting her into his arms and slowly carrying her up to one of the many guest rooms. "Goodnight Henry." He nodded back before disappearing from her sight.

"We'll be heading up too." Jones said, not willing to head to Granny's at this hour for fear of being turned away after waking her up for a room.

Rumple leaned forward and said in a low voice. "We should go up as well."

With that she headed up to her bedroom with Rumple, while leaving the rest of the people in her house to do as they wished without the owner to be there for questions and the like. "What a day." She stated, taking her jacket and tossing it to a chair in the corner. "A dinner, a birth. Zelena going green. A house full of people. A guest room for delivery."

"Eventful, that is for sure." He stated as he shrugged out of his own jacket and began unbuttoning his over-shirt before tossing it over the chair she had previously tossed her coat.

"Do you think they'll all come around?" Regina had slipped out of her clothing quickly before sliding on a light blue nightgown and fussing with the blankets and pillows on the bed. Tossing the ones for decorations to the small settee in the room. "In regards to us? I mean, it's something new but surely-"

"They will. Trust me. We're all very different than we used to be. Time did that, it changed us. All of us." He noted before stepping out of his jeans now, kicking them to the side before pulling taking his place beneath the blankets on the bed, followed up by Regina sliding in next to him, her lips claiming his for a chaste kiss.

Lifting her hand, she began to cast a small enchantment on their room and at the look on his face, she stated "To keep the noises of anyone in the house from waking us." The new baby was cute, yes, but the last thing she needed after having traveled here today was to be rudely awoken in the middle of the night by crying that could only be halted by the Samuel's parent.s

"Good thinking." Rumple admitted as he slid further down, scrunched up his pillow, then settled back against it. He snapped his fingers and all of the lights in the room went out. Regina finished up her enchantment and slid down next to him, head resting against his chest as she felt his arm wrap around her frame, the warmth of his body against hers lulling her into a dreamless sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Come morning, Emma was sitting up in the guest bed with a head full of messy hair, cradling her newborn son in her arms, humming a tune that Snow had taught her from nursery rhymes she knew as a child. Glancing over at Killian with a beaming smile on his face, she reached out with one hand — giving his arm a squeeze. "He's ours."

"Aye, love, that he is." Killian nodded, reaching forth and brushing the little lad's cheek with his thumb. "He'll make out lives hell soon enough. Screaming, crying, annoying his sister."

"We should try for another after a small reprieve." Emma suggested, eying the pirate to gauge his reaction — which happened to be exactly what she had hoped. The smile on his lips grew ever larger because this had been something they talked about when she was far along in her pregnancy and emotional — having shot the option down more than twice. "What do you say?"

"Nothing would make a pirate, like me, happier."

"Okay, enough with the sugary sweetness. I've brought Emma some breakfast and you, pirate, see to it that she eats as much of it as possible. She needs to keep her energy up. I've called the hospital and they are going to send over a doctor to check up on Mommy and baby."

"Thank you, Regina." Emma said as she handed her husband their son and reached to grab the tray that the brunette had carried in.

"It's nothing. We shouldn't take any risks is all. It was a natural birth and we should have called for help, but since everyone was so ready — we didn't. The doctor will be here come noon."

With that Regina turned on her heels and headed out of the guest room, soon to find Henry in the Hallway deep in discussion about his childhood in the manor with his daughter. The mother and son both shot each other a look of knowing, of maternal love before she descended the stairs with a little pep in her step. He wasn't telling his daughter about The Evil Queen's horrid temper, instead he was telling the story of a woman who had taken the wrong path but came out on the other side a better person — all thanks to the love she had for a son that she had adopted.

Zelena popped her head around the corner when she heard Regina's heels clicking against the stone and motioned for her to come over to her. When she did, the red head motioned towards two young women far off in the corner and the smile that tugged on Regina's lips mirrored that of her sisters. "Are they?"

"Flirting? I'd say so. Look at Robyn, she's practically beaming. And there, there, that slight brush of her fingers along the back of Alice's hand. She has been doing that for the past two hours. I can't stop staring. They look so nice together, right? So fitting, so...what's the word?"

"Smitten?" Regina offered and her sister shrugged, not too much pleased with it thinking something else would fit the situation more, something more meaningful. "Okay, proud mama of the year, stop gawking at them or I have feeling you'll get an earful later from your daughter."

The brunette pushed on, walking through to the kitchen where Rumple was standing at the sink, hand holding onto a dish while the other swirled a scrubbing pad along the surface to suds it up. "We have an imp in the kitchen, looks like I need to call the exterminator."

A cackle bubbles from his chest as he glanced over his shoulder at Regina; who was currently closing in on him like a lioness ready to tackle her prey. "Shouldn't leave windows and doors open." He fed into the little humorous moment between the two of them that mirrored their Enchanted Forest monologue more than that of the two people they had slowly become over time. "They sneak in like that, you know."

"Noted. I'll make sure to lock every nook and cranny every single night. No more imps in my kitchen, no mister." Her arms snaked around his middle as she leaned a chin against his shoulder. "The doctor is coming by at noon to give both Emma and Samuel a thorough look, make sure everything is working and doing as it should."

"That's good to hear." Sighing, he placed the dish to his right on a cloth to ready it for drying once he's completed washing it. Only; Regina starts to the dry them instead and he thanks her silently for helping him in the task. "How did you sleep?"

"You were in my bed, I think you'd know how I slept."

"I fell asleep shortly after you did, dearie."

"No dreams, no nightmares, just a good nights rest. And you?"

"Much the same."

Jacinda walked in with Lucy in tow, both in discussion about the Enchanted Forest and how they could possibly get back.

"You really want to go back there after seeing what wonder indoor plumbing is?" Regina scoffed, turning so she could see the two of them while she dried the dishes that Rumple handed her.

"Well, yeah. It's what we know best. I mean these false memories and the ones we created during the curse are fine, but we miss it. The smell of the forest, the good fight, all of it. Not some modern world that is slowly ruining it's planet with these inventions of cars and the like. One motorcycle is enough. Many, well, you smell more petrol than anything in a city."

"Storybrooke isn't much of a city." Regina countered, trying her best to persuade the woman Henry loves to stay here and not take her son with her - in a subtle way, of course. "It's small and quaint and you can just walk from one end to the other if you want."

"It's not set in stone yet, Regina." Jacinda conceded, hand in the air as if trying to tell Regina to stay calm and yet; how could someone stay calm when they know their son and granddaughter might leave them?

"Of course. You're right. Whatever you two choose, as long as it makes you happy, that is all that matters." Swallowing her fear, she flashed one of her pearly white smiles and then turned to keep her expression away from young Lucy or Jacinda, they shouldn't have to know how she truly felt.

Rumple nudged her softly and when he leaned to put the plate over on the cloth, his lips grazed her cheek in the one of the most feather light kisses she had ever felt. _What would she do without him?_

"Here we go, here we go." Mary Margaret cooed as she carried her toddler into the kitchen, shooting everyone inside a warm smile before heading for the refrigerator and glancing inside for Lenora's little sippy cup with dove's on it. "Where's..."

"Behind the orange juice." Regina answered, moving around Rumple to put some of the dry dishes away.

"Thank you!" Mary Margaret exclaiming, taking out the sippy cup and handing it to the mumbling toddler on her hip. "There you go, juice, yummy juice." Turning to the room, she closed the refrigerator door with her foot and sighed. "Is Emma eating?"

"I brought her up a tray a little bit ago." Regina answered, running a hand absentmindedly along Rumple's back. "I hope she eats any little bit of it."

"Hopefully, she needs to. Her energy is going to be down for a little bit after the birth. Did you see-"

"Robyn? Yes, I did. It looks like her and Alice are getting along."

"Should I be giving her a talk or something?" Jones had come in without anyone noticing until he spoke up. "About birds and bees? Or?"

"I think that ship has sailed." Zelena giggled, coming up behind him and shooting a Cheshire grin in his direction. "They've been inseparable since we got here and I couldn't be happier."

"Aye, I am happy for Alice, it's just-a bit fast, finding someone of interest the second we're here?"

"It's not fast." Zelena swatted at his arm playfully, before adding "You should have seen Hades and I. Now that, that was a bit fast. And then Snow and Charming, fast. That's just how Fairy tales work, I guess."

"Is Robyn a good kid?" He asked, wondering the intentions of the fair beauty that had peaked an interest from his Alice.

"Of course she is. I raised her!" Crossing her arms over her chest, the red head looked to the room for agreeable responses only to find-

"That's still up for debate." Mary Margaret teased with a smirk on her lips, if she hadn't giggled afterward - things could have gone differently but since she had the entire room burst into a fit of laughter, including Rumple.

"They are young and seemingly interested in one another. Let them be happy." Turning from the sink, he wrapped a hand along Regina's hip and pulled her closer, shooting Jones a look of curiosity. "Tell me, will you be giving Robyn the talk of 'if you break her heart' or?"

"Oh yes, I will. The minute I know they are going on a date, I'll do the whole protective dad speech with the pleading look of please don't break my girl. I couldn't handle seeing her cry. I could barely handle it when she threw a tantrum when she was little. Got me wrapped around her finger, so she does."

"Awe. What?" Zelena did something completely unlike her and wrapped her arms around the pirate's shoulders. "That is the sweetest thing ever. I'll happily welcome you to the family." Joking, she poked his nose and turned towards Lenora in Mary Margaret's arms and began to make little faces at the girl to get her to giggle, which worked like a charm.

"I'm not sure if I want to be in this family. It's a messed up one." Jones scoffed before adding "It would be nice. IF that WERE to happen. Not that it will." In truth, all he wanted was Alice's happiness and being a timid protective Dad, well, this was something new to him - even if his Alice was more than grown and able to make her own decisions in regards to where she placed her heart.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an AU, of course, I just wanted to go ahead and put that out there with the latest episode having made Robyn older than I have. Also, I spell it like Robyn in this fic instead of Robin. Annnndddddd; That's it. If there's anything else I feel the need to comment on, I'll make sure to do it at the beginning of chapters. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

"Well, it's happened." Jones huffed as he sat down at the table outside of Granny's diner where Zelena and Regina were enjoying their breakfast. He reached for one of Zelena's french toast sticks and thrust it into his mouth with such force, then chewed it with even more determination. "What if she gets her heart broken?" He asked looking from one sister to the other with his mouth completely full.

"Then she gets her heart broken, you can't stop that from happening." Zelena dabbed at the corners of his mouth with a napkin as she gave him what she hoped was a sympathetic smile. "Our babies are in love and we just have to hope it's the kind of love that will last a lifetime."

"And beyond that." Regina added, a glint shining in her eyes as she imagined the feelings coursing through the young couple.

"Aye, love. Beyond that." He swallowed, hard, trying to calm his nerves. "She's been out all night and only called twice to check in when I told her to call me at least every couple of hours, especially if she wasn't coming home."

"There there, daddy bear." Zelena patted his shoulder, a giggle bubbling up from her chest and out. "You are really wound tight, you need to relax." She pulled out a flask from her bag and thrust it in his direction. "It's rum. The best, trust me."

Regina couldn't help but smile as she continued poking around at the breakfast on her plate, having already eaten her fill — she felt the need to do something with her hands, so this was it. She wanted to say that the best rum was currently at his shop, trying to catch up on everything he had missed and yet — she didn't dare say that. Not yet. Fun moments with little remarks as such would come later on after everyone had become comfortable with it.

"Thank you, love." Jones took the flash into his hand and brought it to his lips, seeing as she had unscrewed the lid before handing it to him, then took a long and very generous swig — allowing the burn to help take off the sharp edges of his worry. "When did you two start taking breakfast together?"

"We've decided to make it a..well a everyday thing if and when we can. It's nice to be close again." Regina nodded, then shot her sister a warm smile, noting that the green that had once been on her skin was completely gone.

"That's the truth." Zelena admitted, taking the flash back from Jones, putting the top back on it and putting it back into her purse for more moments that had the need of alcohol. "So, Alice didn't come home?" She turned to face the pirate, hands clasped on her lap.

"No. She didn't. And Robyn?" He watched as the witch shook her head and he felt the same anxiety again. "Is this normal?"

"Have you never dated in your life?" Regina asked in surprise.

"Not in the slightest. Pirates...well...we do not dally in the matters of love or lust."

"Well, it's normal and she'll be home soon enough. Then you can get a good look at what giddy love looks like." Zelena stated, having known what it was like when Robyn couldn't stop talking about Alice the past week. "Has she been talking about Robyn as much as Robyn has her? And you know not to tell her that, right?"

"I'm not daft, I know not to spill that to her. But yes, she has. And been writing in her little notebook too, I haven't looked at it, but I'm sure it's got plenty of Robyn in it."

"Wouldn't doubt it." Zelena was practically beaming, a proud mama of her only daughter, happy that she was seemingly finding her own happy ending with someone who made her feel like she could walk on clouds.

"Look at you two." Regina said with a smile on her lips. "All worried and happy and just lost in the throws of being parents to teenagers." She had only gotten a glimpse of Henry as a teenager, seeing as he had went off at the age of eighteen and hadn't come back into her life until he was a few years older than that and smitten with Ella.

"Here they are." Alice piped up, both her and Robyn bounding towards the three at the table outside of Granny's diner. Robyn reached for a few french toast sticks on Zelena's plate, meanwhile Regina handed hers to Alice who took a seat next to her. She had gotten closer with the girl all thanks to her relationship with Rumple.

"We went home and couldn't find either of you." Robyn said, nibbling at the french toast stick.

"Likewise for all last night, you two." Zelena teased, a smile forming on her lips after the words left her mouth. "How did it go?"

"Nice, it went nice." Robyn admitted, a slight pink tint forming along her cheeks. Smitten couldn't even come close to how she felt about the other blonde. "Well, maybe a bit more than nice."

"Only a bit?" Alice teased, using her foot to nudge at Robyn's leg before digging into the foot that was left over on Regina's plate. Both of the girls burst into a fit of giggles before Alice motioned for Robyn to follow her inside of the diner. "Let's get you something to eat."

The second they were close to the door, Robyn reached for Alice's hand and dipped her head so that her mouth were next to her ear, whispering something Zelena nor Regina or Jones could make out.

"I'll be out here!" He called after his daughter who just lifted a hand up to let him know she heard him. "She looks so happy." Noting the obvious, he reached for Zelena's purse and began digging for the flask. Upon finding it, he unscrewed the lid and took a sip, pondering on how fast Alice had grown and how he so badly missed the youth that used to sit and play chess with him until she was ready for a bedtime story. "They grow up too fast."

"Tell me about it." Zelena and Regina sighed out the words in unison.

* * *

Regina found a moment to herself and decided to visit Rumple at his pawnshop. Upon entering, the scents within overwhelmed her mind, pulling and tugging at memories that had been spent inside of these four walls. She could smell something akin to storing units that have been sitting for years, wood varnish and his aftershave. "It's looking better than it did when we first got here." That was the truth. Boxes had been piled halfway up the walls, dust had accumulated over everything and not just that; magical items had begun popping up everywhere — new ones, not the ones he had before.

"Do you think so?" He asked, coming around the counter, closing the space between them as he made his way to the middle of the room and snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him. "And how is the mayoral office looking?"

"Like I need more room. I've been working with Neal for two weeks now and we have another desk in there for a bit so he could learn fast." She brought her arms up to rest around his neck, pulling his face closer to hers. "I really do love this haircut of yours, if I haven't made that obvious by now."

"Mm, do you?" His hands began to dance along her frame, taking in the form fitting fabric that adorned her frame now that she were decked out in her usual attire that fit her role in this town. Ever since they got back, he couldn't get enough of the look of her in such things — or the feel. "Have I made known my appreciation of your wardrobe?"

"All week." She giggled, a smile tugging at her lips as she watched him tilt his head to get a look at the outfit the best he could from where they were standing. Slowly, she pressed her lips against his cheek, causing Rumple to turn his attention back to her face, eyes searching her features as if committing this moment to memory. Leaning in, he stole her breath away as his lips claimed hers in a slow caress. One of her hands grasped at the short strands of hair against the nape of his neck, while the other slid down to his chest, fingers splayed out against his shirt beneath his suit jacket, the palm of her hand feeling the rhythmic thumping of his heart.

When he broke the kiss to take in air, he leaned his forehead against hers, eyes closed as he whispered "Until we were back here, I almost forgot how you used to be Regina." His hands were holding her so close to him now, that her hand against his chest, was pressed between their chests. "Before your mother scared you into fearing love."

She could remember that too. Not once but twice had her mother caused her to fear love. First with Jasper, who taught her how to paint but fell for the one person she thought had been a friend who ended up only being a pawn used by her mother. Jasper had never truly loved her, and yet she sometimes had to wonder if it had been her Mother's insistent need to pull her away from anyone who wasn't royalty. Then the second time was with Daniel, the stable boy who she thought could have made her life something worth while. "I feel like her sometimes." She was referring to the young naive girl who put so much belief in true love. "When I'm with you. Sometimes I have to stop myself from slipping into that train of thought."

"Regina.." The heat between their bodies had begun to collect in the air around him and Rumple could swear that if it were possible, he would become drunk on it alone. "...the one thing it took me forever to realize was that fearing love will only hurt you in the end. But when you have it, something as unrelenting as that, you have to face it with as much determination as you would revenge or trying to remain good."

"But fearing it-"

"Will only hurt you in the end." He stated, finally opening his eyes and looking at the woman in his arms, really looking at her and what he found almost broke his heart in two. She had lowered her walls so far down that he could see the traces of that girl in her features, the young woman who had been so fixated on the idea of love. "I'm in love with you, Regina Mills."

"And I am in love with you, Rumplestiltskin. All of you. The good, the bad, the love sick, the determined, the master, the imp, the man. Every single part of you."

With that, Regina slipped the hand on his chest up to cup his cheek as she pressed the entirety of her body against his, her mouth moving passionately with his lips.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Regina finally admits to Rumple that she wants to have a child.
> 
> Thanks to No.1Kinglet1963 for the prompt! Getting one step closer to that GoldenQueen baby!

Regina glanced at the papers decorating the table in her dining room. Hesitant fingers grasped each one and gave them a few once overs and then set them back against the surface. She had been awake going on four hours now and Rumple had yet to make his way downstairs to join her.

Leaning back, she let out a sigh and tried to go over what she intended on bringing up to the man she has grown to love more than she thought herself capable after what happened in her past with Daniel and Robin. But at present, she couldn't ever imagine having loved either of those people more than she currently loves Rumplestiltskin.

"Morning." His voice shook her from her thought reverie as he placed a hand between her shoulder blades and leaned in to give her a kiss to the top of her head. "What's all of this?"

"I will go get you a cup of coffee and some breakfast in just a moment. Have a seat, please." She gestured towards the chair opposite her at the table. Her eyes followed him as he settled in where she had told him to and placed his hands against the surface of the table between them. "I would like to discuss something with you that would, I hope you agree, ..be a wonderful addition to our—" She gestured around them at the vast house she called home and he had spent most of his time in since they got back. "—our home. Of course, if you want, we could move into your place."

"Regina. What do you have in mind?" He asked since he was able to tell she was skating around the topic.

"My womb is not...as far as I know...working. So, we would need to find a way to fix that unless you would like to discuss adoption or a surrogate.." She gestured out at the pamphlets scattered before them. "I would prefer one of our own but if it becomes impossible, then..."

"I have a few contacts." The smile that tugged at the edges of his lips caused Regina's thundering heart to calm down. "From the other Storybook..."

"Nothing dangerous."

"No, we wouldn't want you giving birth to the devil." This caused them both to laugh, which helped ease the tension in the room. Rumple reached forward and took Regina's hands in his before speaking again. "I would want nothing more than to start a family with you. I'm aware we both have two...extremely grown children. But to have one of our own would be a dream come true."

"You really mean that?" Her digits laced with his as she gave his hands a good squeeze, mouth forming into a beaming smile as he nodded and she could have sworn she could see something in his eyes twinkling.

"I do, I swear I do." Leaning forward, Regina having met him half way, he claimed her mouth with his own in a slow caress.

"I'm going to go grab you a plate and some coffee." Regina whispered against his lips, giving him a chaste peck before turning on her heels to do what she said she would.

Rumple sat back down in the chair and brushed the useless pamphlets out of his sight. The thought of adopting or having a surrogate would not work — no. Their child would have their eyes, their DNA, everything — if it were possible. Pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, he typed out a few texts to a select few who might have some ideas as to what they could do figure out where they stood in the procreation department. He also trusted them not to go around spilling details on what him and the object of his affection were currently going to try to do.

The brunette rejoined him with a tray in hand, carrying what looked to be a breakfast meant for a king and a steaming cup of coffee. "Here you go." She placed it down before adding "While we wait, we could always try to get pregnant anyway. At least keep at it and then when we have options, try all of those." She took a seat next to him now and leaned her head against his shoulder as he began to dig into the food.

"That would be wise." He stated before quirking a brow up as he shot a smirk in her direction.

—

"Where is the crocodile?" Jones asked as he bounded into the local grocery store with both Mills sisters on either side of him.

"He's preoccupied." Regina stated, not yet feeling comfortable with bringing up the news about her and Rumple intending on starting a family. "And how is Alice and her love life?"

"I'm being replaced as her favorite person." He grimaced, not yet accustomed to having someone in his daughter's life that matters more than he does. "I wonder if I could talk her into spending a day with me tomorrow and we could go out on the water and sail for a few hours."

"Jones, allow her to come to you. Trust me. I remember when I tried to force Robyn to spend time with me yesterday, you don't want to see the look on your child's face when you realize she would rather be anywhere but with you at that moment. Trust me, learn from my mistakes."

"You think so? I don't want her to hate me or anything, so I'll wait. How long do you wager it would take her to come to me and actually want to spend a day her old man?"

Zelena laughed at the same time Regina did. Like they knew any better than he did about teenagers and how they feel. Goodness, Regina wished she could have gotten longer to spend with the teenage Henry. "There's no for sure answer to that, so you'll need to just wait it out. But don't disappear completely. Try to maintain an open presence, so that she has the ability to spend the day with you if she chooses to. You know?"

"Being a parent does not get easier." Jones grimaced, as he began glancing at the shelves that contained food. "I hate grocery shopping."

"I rather like it." Zelena chirped, hands reaching out and grasping onto a bag of oven baked chips. "It's relaxing to just set your body on autopilot and go go go. Find goodies and see what Robyn likes and what I like and just try new things."

"Positive girl over here." Regina nudged her sister, giving the bag of chips a disconcerting look. "I don't know how you eat that stuff. I like healthy food but don't you think that's just awful? They don't pack the same crunch."

"I think you were stuck as Roni for far too long. Years ago, you would have grabbed this bag out of my hand and bought like multiple more."

"Yeah, can't shake her...just like you can't shake Kelly. I mean come on. Since when do you eat healthy food? Zelena you would have had green eggs and ham years ago." It was a metaphor and lucky for her, Zelena caught it and gave her sister a heart warming cackle.

"How's Henry doing?"

"Fine. He's going camping this weekend with Ella and Lucy, they're going to actually shut down all of their devices and spend time together like they used to back in the Enchanted Forest."

"See? That's what I want to do with Alice, just on the open sea." He shrugged as they made their way back towards the tofu where Zelena picked up multiple packages and then they all began heading towards the checkout. "We came here for baked chips and tofu?"

"I'm having dinner at my place tonight, so yes, we came here for tofu. The chips were just an extra. They sound good, the flavor, I just don't know how they keep finding new flavors for chips. Did you know there's ketchup flavored?"

"Ketchup sounds good." Regina said and quickly rolled her eyes at how much her persona had truly changed her. At least she was able to put her body back into her favorite attire that fit a mayor and not a bar owner regardless of loving the t-shirts that she had brought back and put in her closet. "I'll see you two tonight?" They both nodded as she gave Zelena a side hug and headed for the door, set on finding out how the search for the cure to her problem was going. If she had known that she would want a child so badly now, she wouldn't have drank that potion back in the forest to keep her mother out of the matters of her womb and childbearing.


	7. Chapter 7

 

She turned her back towards Rumple, allowing him to grip the zipper and give it a tug up. "Zelena is on a health kick, still, it will take a bit for Kelly to be less of a prominent force." She turned to him once the zipper was secure and wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning in to claim his lips with her own.

"We could-" He had begun backing them up towards the bed, lips brushing against hers as his hot palms splayed out along her back. "-try again before we leave..."

"I just put my dress on for the third time, Rumple..." A smirk played along her lips as she felt the back of his knees hitting the edge of the bed with a soft give, brushing his legs against hers, then they fell atop of the mattress with a soft _pff_. "...And if we keep this up, we're going to be _very_ late."

"And? She can wait, they all can wait." His hands were gripping at the zipper on her back and it took everything in Regina to wiggle out of his grasp and push herself back onto her feet before he could get the dress off of her again.

"Come on. We have to go." Smiling, she turned on her heels and headed into the en-suite bathroom and fumbled around in the drawer where she kept her makeup. Grabbing her lipstick, she retouched it and gave the rest of herself a once over before coming to the conclusion that she looked fine and was ready to be seen by the public and not ravished into a disheveled mess again.

"You're driving me crazy over here." He had pushed himself up on his elbows, craning his head so that he could see inside of the bathroom to where she was standing. "That dress is hugging everything I want to touch."

"You've touched. You've kissed. You've bitten." She placed her lipstick back in the drawer and pushed it closed before walking to the door frame and leaning against it. "Should I continue?"

"I wish you would." A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as his eyes drank her in.

"I'll leave without you." She warned playfully as she crossed the room and headed out of the bedroom door into the hallway. "I'm not kidding, Rumple, move that.." her voice dropped so that she could groan out "incredibly sexy" before raising again so he could hear her as she called back to him "ass of yours so we can get a move on."

"What if.." He caught her by the arm before she could descend the stairs and whirled her around to face him. "...I said we might have our beginning." His hand lifted and a plume of purple smoke whirled around his palm before a beaker appeared with a red substance in it. "Hmm?"

"Is that?"

He nodded and pulled the top of the beaker off with a sound _pop!_ , then began swirling it in front of her face "Open." She did as he asked and he poured the liquid into her mouth, waiting for her to swallow. The second she did, he bent and snaked his arms around her wait before hoisting her up and over his shoulder, then began heading back to the bedroom. "We can't wait time, if it works we have to get started."

Her giggles echoed out as he used his foot to shut the bedroom door behind them.

* * *

"You're late!" Zelena scolded the two them when they had finally arrived. Rumple pushed past her with a smug look on his face as he made his way into the room where everyone was standing around, cooing over kids and talking about this or that, leaving Regina to her sister.

"Sorry, I know you left like fifty messages." Regina apologized as she made her way inside, shutting the door behind her. "We just got held up and couldn't get here quick enough."

"I can see that. Also you have a run in your stocking." The red head pointed down at Regina's legs with wide eyes. "Since when do you ever leave the house this unkempt?"

"I think it's just me trying to get used to being me again, you know? Well, the cursed me. The one before Hyperion Heights." she lied, trying her to best to not to seem as though she weren't telling the truth.

"Yeah, I woke up this morning and almost went for a jog. I think I'm losing it."

Relieved that she seemed to believe her, Regina sighed and gave a soft smile in the direction of her sister. "Is the food done or has everyone already eaten?"

"We've been waiting for you. Though, it's kind of good you came late because my oven was on the fritz and Henry had to fix it for me, so the meal was delayed already."

"What did you make?"

"A little of everything and then everyone brought a dish, so.."

"Oh! Let me go out and get what I brought, I almost forgot." Regina darted out of the door and towards the car where she opened the door, bent down and grabbed out five pizza boxes, shut the door and headed back inside. "I brought pizza for anyone who hates your cooking." She teased and they both laughed.

"Very funny. But did you, seriously?"

"Can you smell the delicious pizza or is Kelly shutting off access to your nostrils?" Rolling her eyes, she headed through the main room where people began cheering at the sight of the boxes before she brought them into the dining room and set them down against the table. Everyone began to file into the room and take their seats as Zelena began to let them all know it was high time to fill their stomachs.

When Regina took her seat beside of Rumple, he leaned in and placed a hand to her knee before whispering "How are you feeling?"

"Normal? Just fine, why?" She asked, placing her palm on top of his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Just worrying about the potion." He said, pressing a chaste kiss to her shoulder before moving back in a seated position, hand still on her knee as he used his free one to dig into the food Zelena was currently piling onto everyone's plates.

"Can it give me a tail or something?" She chuckled nervously, still trying to keep her voice from being overheard.

"No, it cannot."

"Can it kill me?"

"No. It can make you red if it works."

"What?!" She let go of his hand and began looking down at her body, trying to spot any change in her complexion before she hesitantly pulled the v of her dress out just enough for her to peer into it to see her same complexion she had before. "It's not working."

"What's not working?" Henry asked, giving her a surprised look - wondering what in the hell she was doing.

"Some medication I took for...a rash I have on my...stomach." She situated herself in her chair, hating lying to Henry like this but they were in a room full of people, she couldn't just outright tell him.

"Did you go camping too?" He asked, flashing a weary smile in her direction. "I have one on my leg and it itches like crazy. Doc gave me some ointment if you want to give it a try?"

"No, thank you though Henry." She reached forward and gave his hand a squeeze before she began to dig into her food, trying not to feel slightly let down at the fact that the potion hadn't worked. "You know Doc isn't a real doctor right?"

"Yeah, but it's working, so. I gave him the benefit of the doubt."

"We'll try something else." Rumple whispered, trying to reassure her.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're having some time jumps through the pregnancy. I have two other fics that are following Regina/Roni through her progress, so I've decided this one will focus more on the baby than her pregnancy. Therefore, time jumps.
> 
> Other characters will continue to make their ways back into the fics, like the first two chapters, but of course, this will essentially be GQ.
> 
> Also, I have an ending in mind for this fic now, which I hope is a good thing and I really hope you all will enjoy the ride to their happy ending.

It had been two months. During the first month they had tried numerous spells and potions. All of the obvious ones that let her know right away, did not work. So during the second month, they did more than enough spells and potions that would not show any side-effects or tell them they had hit the mark; so to speak.

But now as she was leaning against the sink in her bathroom staring at the damned non-magical stick that would tell her if she were pregnant or not, she wished she could have used magic to tell her right away and not—

Caramel hues zeroed in on the digital reading, eyes wide as saucers before her ruby red lips formed into a beaming smile and she let out a scream that could probably be heard all through Storybrooke.

Rumple burst through the door with a look on his face that seemed like he was readying himself for a battle with some unknown assailant. But when Regina held up the pregnancy test, the expression faded into confusion. "The hell is this supposed to mean?"

She huffed out a sigh and rolled her eyes, moving to stand beside him as she pointed at the digital reading and began to explain in a calm manner. "If..it had been a minus, I would not be pregnant..."

He took the pregnancy test in hand, gave it another look then glanced at Regina. "It's a plus sign..."

"Yes. It's a plus sign." She grasps the lapels of his jacket and pulls him close to her. "We're going to have a baby."

His eyes grew wide as a smile spread along his lips. "This is great news!" Claiming her lips with his own, he kissed her deeply and passionately. Against her lips, he voiced his doubt "But are you sure? How can this thing be trusted?"

"I'm sure." She states, kissing him again as her arms wrap around his neck and he slowly backs her up against the sink, depositing the pregnancy test on it's surface before reaching behind her and pulling her up into his arms.

_**~GQ~** _

Later that night, while they are laying in bed, Rumple snakes an arm around her, holding her close to his chest. "Do you think you'll have a natural birth or one at the hospital?"

"To be honest, I haven't really thought about it." Her voice is already groggy and distant, heavy with the impending sleep wracking her frame. "I don't really have a mother who could walk me through the home birthing process." She remembers Snow and how she helped Emma along with many others who had experienced what it was like to give birth at home.

"I'm sure someone would be willing to help." Rumple says, hand moving slowly against Regina's back, stroking in a fluid motion. "Haven't you gotten a little closer with Emma?"

"Not exactly. If you call letting her offspring burp up on me, then sure." She chuckles, hand reaching up to caress his warm cheek. "But, as long as we're not wanting to kill each other, you're right, she'd probably help. However—"

He waited for her to speak again, to finish her proverbial 'but' in her statement. When she didn't, he decided to urge her on. "However, what?"

Timid eyes sought out his a she leaned herself up on her elbow. "I think we should wait. Wait until we know that this is going to take."

"You're afraid of a miscarriage." He stated rather bluntly, even if his voice was soft.

She nodded, grimacing slightly as she leaned in and pressed her forehead to his. "Because I wasn't supposed to be able to get pregnant, Rumple. This wasn't supposed to have been possible."

"But it is." Reaching his hand up, he cupped her cheek, trying to urge her eyes on him since she had averted them the second their foreheads touched. "And regardless of magic or anything else, we made this happen and it will stay that way."

"If I have one—" Her eyes finally find his as she reaches to wrap her fingers around his wrist, nuzzling her face against his palm. "—dead is dead Rumple. We can't stop it or make it come back." She repeated his own words in the sentence, which caused her heart to ache.

Sighing, he nodded. "Yes, dead is dead but dearie. You're forgetting one very important thing."

"And what is that?" She asks, her soft and laced in doubt.

"The baby you're carrying is a form we created. Regina, it will be strong, resilient and.." He states, knowing all too well that the child born of the two most powerful practitioners of magic in any realm is bound to be a force unlike any other. "...probably hard headed knowing us."

Regina let out a slight giggle as Rumple's hand found the flat of her stomach and gave it a gentle rub, knowing that before they knew it, it would be well on it's way to becoming larger. "What about that magic the evil queen used on Belle back then...?"

She felt his body go rigid behind her, the memory coming to him in a shock and anger effect, before he relaxed. "You're not using that."

"But...what if I did?" She sighed and rolled over to face him, her hands going to his chest, fingers toying with the buttons on his nightshirt. "Then we wouldn't have to worry if it would be a miscarriage, it would just take and we would be parents.."

He looked into her pleading eyes and wanted nothing more than to give her exactly what she wanted, but instead he shook his head. "All magic comes with a price. I'm not willing to pay it with our child. Are you?"

"I'd give my life for our baby."

"That's not what I meant. You know I would give my life for it too, but I would in no way want to lose you or it."

Silence filled the room as the weight of the price of magic settled on their shoulders, causing the air to feel thick. Then Regina nodded, snuggling closer to his chest. "You're right. If we're going to do this, we're going to do this the right way."

Rumple nodded and placed a chaste kiss to the top of her head, thanking every star in the sky for her seeing it his way.


	9. Chapter 9

Due to stress, lack of time and lack of creativity; All fanfics of mine are now going to be orphaned. If you would like to continue any, please feel free to. The following is how I saw this fanfic ending.

This fic was going to end with the entire family facing a big bad, probably from one of the Grimm fairy-tales. The only effect of the facing this character would be sending every single inhabitant to the Enchanted Forest. They would have lived their happily ever after there.


End file.
